Describing the Design by Gerard Pas

In contemplating my design, I knew that I had to keep the center of focus directed to the Cenotaph. I wanted to create something that could adorn it as a fine string of pearls adorns the beauty of a woman.

All of my years of emotions and history with this object described above, also influenced how I would respectfully compliment this symbol of courage, liberty and sadly loss. My generous Dutch benefactors wanted to place music there, next to the Veterans Garden, serenading the Cenotaph and its honourable symbol.

When designing the ground works or sculptures, I did not want to create a signature of death as one might be influenced by a grave stone. I wanted to show the same respect to the fallen dead as such a grave stone demands but to add meaning for us the living. As I had studied war, I knew the significance of the letter V as it originated from the hand of Winston Churchill to become the symbol of Victory. I did not want to simply portray Victory alone but I wanted to add meaning to the symbol of this V. Firstly the sculptures are comprised of two sections, the first a large black granite V and the second a dedication stone. With a vision to keep the V clearly in the forefront, I dissected the V ever so slightly by placing the dedication stone protruding from its side. The result was to create a subtle hint to letter N; being the first letter of the Netherlands.
So in the broken letter N for the Netherlands, the letter V of Victory rises - from brokeness we can find Victory. The Netherlands that lay broken under the yoke of a racist and fascist rule, through the courage and sacrifice of Canadians could rise to Victory through the Liberty they afforded us in the spilling of their blood. From the broken, victory can still be attained. In Holland we think of the Canadians not only on November 11th but we celebrate them on Liberation Day, May 5th (click here to learn more). The Dutch garnish each grave with flowers in the many War Cemeteries where Canadians lie in rest and their children tend the grave sites to keep them maintained. We will not forget and Liberty has become a standard to which Holland, like Canada, still attempts to bring to this world.

Those who fought, those who died and those that continue the struggle today in the far reaches of this world, can hear this proclamation as they ring out from the Dutch Carillon which accompanies these solemn stones. Not only will this memorial speak out, that from the brokenness of War, Victory can come but that Liberty can exact a high price, as it did for our liberation in Holland. These stones will oscillate to the songs of thanks playing in the canopy of steel above them.

When first designing the Carillon I wanted the whole project to keep within the tectonic forms of architecture in the cube / parallelopied, sphere / circle, conical / triangle. The sculptures lying at its feet take the form of the triangle with the dedication stone being the rectangle. The carillon is the circle. My initial design was a spiral on which 12 bells would be mounted. Necessity forced this original conical spiral to be changed to three rings or circles holding the now 18 bells. The additional bells where added to not only aesthetically balance the rings but to compliment a full octave and one half of notes, making almost all songs playable on it. These three rings can be considered like ripples in the water and I hope to suggest that every soldier that gave his life in Holland, had such an effect to leave ripples in history. Made of stainless steel this tower will hold up these three ascending rings as a prayer reaching up the heavens.
Suspended from these three rings are 18 unique instruments poured of solid bronze by Royal Eijsbouts Bell Foundry in the Netherlands.
Surrounding the column will be a spiral of Maple Leaves descending down its tapered form like the leaves in the season of fall. These leaves on the column convey not only our respect for the Canadian War vet but point that we to our now a part of this country Canada as Dutch Canadians. It is our sons and daughters who would now go to war like the many children of immigrants who went and fought for our Liberty.

In designing the sites grounds, I wanted to create a garden that took into consideration the purpose for this monument, as well as complimenting the sculpture and carillon. For we Dutch, May 5th is Liberation Day in the Netherlands and thus I wanted the site to be in full colour for this event in spring. I used plants that would bloom Orange on top of a field of muted violet for this May day. On November 11th, I also wanted the site to look green and colourful on this somber fall day so evergreen shrubs and plants were used. Throughtout the summer orange day lilies will colour the gardens.

It is my hope that this sculpture and Carillon will invoke the knowledge of our gratitude, as Dutch, to the Canadian War Veteran. Resounding a beautiful litany of song throughout the years, reminding those who come after us of that we will never forget the cost of our Liberty. Oh Canada our home and native land, will chime from the Carillon's rafters embracing the air throughout the seasons and it plays Bach and the Beatle to.

Gerard Pas - London Canada 2006